Moore

Question 1

What is Moore going to argue?

Answer 1

we are fully certain of ordinary facts, and we have conclusive
evidence.

Question 2

Does Moore think that he can prove a claim like, “Here is one hand”?

Answer 2

Yes, but only against specific challenges like worries that it might be a prosthetic limb; not in general

Question 3

What is Moore’s stated aim?

Answer 3

Give us a proof of the
existence of external things

Question 4

What is one of Moores’s big claims at the end is about the relationship between knowledge and proof?

Answer 4

I can know things, which I
cannot prove

Question 5

What does Moore think about how we can prove the existence of external things?

Answer 5

In a way that is simpler than the Cartesian or Kantian way (and more intuitively satisfying than the
Berkeleyan approach)

Question 6

What is Moore’s answer to: What are “external things”?

Answer 6

“Things to be met with in space”

(which is not the same as spatially presented things)

Question 7

How does Moore prove that he has hands?

Answer 7

1. Here is one hand, and here is another.
2. Hands are external things.
3. Therefore, external things exist.

Question 8

What is Moore’s proof of showing things existed in the past?

Answer 8

I held up two hands above this desk not very long ago, therefore two hands existed not very long ago; therefore at least two external objects have existed at some time in the past, QED

Question 9

What does Moore describe this proof as?

Answer 9

perfectly conclusive

Question 10

What does Moore think we can often prove?

Answer 10

That ‘this is a hand’ against some particular challenge (is it an empty glove stuffed with cotton?)

Question 11

What does Moore not think that we can come up with?

Answer 11

a general recipe for proving that this hand exists, a recipe that will work in all possible contexts.

Question 12

Moore thinks he has conclusive reasons to believe that ________

Answer 12

he is awake and not dreaming, and indeed he knows that he is awake, but ‘this is a very different thing from being able to prove it.’

Question 13

What do Moore and the sceptic agree on?

Answer 13

that if you know that this is a hand, then you know that you are not just dreaming

Question 14

Which of the following claims would Moore agree with?

Answer 14

If I don’t know I’m not dreaming, then I don’t know that I’m standing up